The newest report notes that the effectiveness of oral emergency contraception could possibly be decreased if a lady has a BMI as little as 26 kg/m2 or weighs over 70 kg (roughly 11 stone). This comes at a time when greater than half of UK women are thought to weigh extra this.

This link has been nicely established all through Europe since 2013, when the European Medicines Agency (EMA) had the makers of EC capsule Norlevo (distributed as Levonelle within the UK) added an alert warning customers that the product could be much less efficient for ‘overweight’ women.

Should we fear?

First of all, no one appears fairly positive as to why weight may affect whether or not or not the morning after capsule is profitable. Secondly, there does appear to be some controversy on the topic. Another report, this one from the European Consortium for Emergency Contraception, reads:

“There is significant disagreement about whether the data supporting these changes are definitive. Whether, in fact, EC is less effective for heavier women is not proven; the precise weight at which EC may lose efficacy is not clear and could vary for individual women. No woman should be refused or discouraged from using EC based on her weight.”

On prime of this, the EMA additionally introduced in 2014 – only one yr after warnings have been put in place – that knowledge stays too restricted to conclude with certainty that the effectiveness of the morning after capsule is decreased by weight.

Other choices

But one factor that specialists do appear to agree on is that the simplest technique for contraception, which can be utilized as much as 5 days after unprotected intercourse, regardless of weight, is the IUD (intrauterine gadget – also referred to as the coil). The FSRH report states that each one women requiring emergency contraception must be provided a copper coil if it’s applicable.

We spoke to out in-house pharmacist, Rita Ghelani, for some extra info.

“Your pharmacist will discuss the various options available for emergency contraception available to you, so that you can make a decision as to which one is best suitable for you.”

She provides:

“Although the copper IUD is the simplest technique of emergency contraceptive, it is probably not applicable or acceptable for some women. Using oral emergency contraceptives similar to EllaOne, which incorporates ulipristal, or Levonelle -one which incorporates levonorgestrel, are each choices that have to be thought-about.”